Crashnet > Reports Index > PRI 2009 Index > Meeting 09/22

Lightning Rods
Former banger World champion Jason Jackson of Romford won the third heat in the inaugural Lightning Rod Essex Open Championship on July 12, sponsored by Colin Greenland, to win the title overall after closest rival Dale Atkins failed to finish.

It wasn't much of a problem for Atkins to sprint off the front of the drawn grid in the first race of three. Atkins, who was the controversial winner of the British Championship the previous weekend at Ipswich, easily finished first ahead of Gary Greenland who successfullly held off Jackson while Tony Gordon and Lee Morrow fought over fourth. The second heat was far closer as Andy Brown took the inside line and passed Incarace visitor Paul Barry into turn one to grab the lead, spending much of the rest of the race holding off Paul Bunting right down to the finish line. The race wasn't without its casualties as Terry Shelvey was spun off out of turn four while Gordon broke a cam on the home straight in a disappointing end to the day's racing. With the first two places very close, but with Jason Jackson close to the front of the grid, it was a matter of seeing how far forward Atkins could get to try to take the overall title. However, with only a few laps completed, Atkins limped from the field and would not feature in the result which Jackson won convincingly though a brief shower in the last few laps caused everyone problems as the circuit became very greasy, allowing Greenland a way past into second place, Roger Dormer following. With the overall points added up, Jackson took the overall title ahead of sponsor's son Greenland with third shared between Bunting and Dormer, Atkins consoled with fifth place.

Group A Hot Rods
West Drayton regular Steve Gooch won the Jim Richards Memorial for the Group A Hot Rods at Arena Essex on July 12 in a meeting that saw some repeated bad luck for points leader Dave Lamb.

Paul Haralambou was an easy winner in the first race, though the race behind was touch and go right to the end as Dennis Howes and Gary Kirby lost second and third as Lamb and Mark West came through, Howes spinning into the fence close to where Ian Jardine, who had been a close competitor for much of the race, had spun a few laps before. Gary Kirby pulled away into the lead of the second heat, followed at a distance by Howes but with Lamb in fourth and already gaining by half way, grabbing third outside Michael Outen as the race started to wind down. It didn't work out, however, as his attempt to pass Howes ended up in the back straight fence, Lamb rejoining relatively quickly but unable to make up the places lost as Kirby drew in for the win. This would all play out again in the final as the first half of the race saw a four way battle with Rob West on the front fending off Lamb with Steve Gooch and Steven Lawes following up. Then, as the race started to wind down, Lamb made another attempt to pass West and the pair ended up locked together into the top of the back straight, West limping off but Lamb rejoining to just take second by a nose on the finish line from Lawes, both well behind this year's Jim Richards Memorial winner Gooch.

Rookie Bangers
Arena Essex welcomed back the Rookie Bangers on July 12, with the final win going to the increasingly prolific ex-Ministox driver Alfie Lee.

Barry Vaughan survived an attack with just over a lap to go in the first heat to win ahead of Purfleet local Andrew Brackenberry and Dave Reynolds in a race that saw a few spins but only one really big hit over on the pit gate when Paul Ruskin and Hayley Dunn charged into the wall together. Richard Davis took the second heat in spectacular style as race leader going into the last lap Ben Towner was spun out on the last bend, allowing Davis room to sprint for the line. The final was much more of an affair as hits went in all over from lap four, not even the star graders immune as Paul Hunter was taken out at one end and John Harris, a former world champion, was attacked on turn one going into the pile of scrap on the bridge bend. The race was stopped part way as Dunn got into trouble again on turn three, race leader Jimmy Randall unable to restart as the cars were lined up for a sprint to the finish. While a few did try to sprint, some drivers attempted to sprint through other cars, especially Billy Tuck who managed to wreck one car on the infield after being shot into the fence by Harris, then Tuck clipped turn one to take that corner on two wheels. Lee took the win with only six cars finishing the race as the rain started. Colin Burnham took the last car award in the destruction derby, just managing to fire what was left of his wreck up in an explosive end to the meeting.

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© 2009 Chris Johnson (Crashnet) / Promotasport Raceways